Glass, Vigen head to the wire separated by handful of points

By Scott Fisher

Like any great wagon race, this one looks like it may be a photo finish.

The top two drivers in the WPCA world standings — Jason Glass and Chanse Vigen — head into the final show of the season separated by just 4.5 points. Obrey Motowylo and Evan Salmond are also still mathematically alive, sitting 34 and 34.5 points respectively out of top spot as the chucks roll into Rocky Mountain House for the WPCA World Finals (Aug. 13-17).

The world title will be decided after four nights of racing, with the final day reserved for the show finale.

Glass, 54, will be looking for his fifth world championship bronze while Vigen, 41, is looking to complete a natural hat trick after winning it all the past two years.

A new outrider world champion will also be crowned on the weekend.

It’s an award Vigen claimed five times before he crawled into the wagon box on a full-time basis.

Rory Gervais appears to have his fourth title wrapped up with a comfortable 687.5-point lead.

SEASON SAVER

There are good weekends, there are big weekends.

Chance Bensmiller is coming off a massive, season-saving weekend in Dawson Creek.

The 39-year-old reinsman won his second career Battle of the North title, earned more points than any other driver, and rocketed up the world standings from 32nd to 24th.

The big jump not only kept Bensmiller out of potentially having to begin next season on a driver’s permit, but also puts him firmly in contention to return to the 2026 Calgary Stampede. “It was pretty significant,” the Dewberry driver said. “At the time, I think I had 75 to 80 points (lead) on the guy in 33rd, which isn’t much breathing room. Now I have more than enough.

“When it comes to Calgary, a guy wants to be absolutely as high as he can be. This definitely gives me a lot more breathing room.

“Making 207 points in a weekend, and I think I came in there with 427, so I made about half as many points as I had during the entire season in one weekend.”

Bensmiller, who also won his first career title in Dawson Creek in 2008, is starting to see his young horses perform at a higher level. And it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Well, perhaps the second show of the year would have been better than the second last. “I wish it was the season-opening show,” Bensmiller said with a chuckle.

The job is not finished however. There’s still work to be done at the WPCA World Finals in Rocky Mountain House.

“The goal is to get as high as I possibly can,” Bensmiller says. “We’re pretty close from climbing up another two spots. “But I’ll need to have some good runs because the guys I’m hooked with are all tough competitors. “It’s going to be tough no matter how I look at it.”

Chance isn’t the only Bensmiller who likes the track in Dawson Creek. Cruise Bensmiller jumped from 12th to 8th in the standings after a solid performance last weekend.

ON THE AIR

Day 1 of the WPCA World Finals can be heard on The Ranch at 96.5 FM (7 p.m.). Streaming options are also available through the WPCA website at wpca.com, iHeart Radio website/app or the RadioPlayer Canada website/app.

Subscribers can also watch the livestream at watch.wpca.com